AZE.US
Azerbaijan’s Foreign Ministry has sharply criticized Russia’s state-run Channel One after a program aired a distorted map of Azerbaijan that included a reference to the defunct “Nagorno-Karabakh” entity.
The map was shown on May 6 during the program Vremya Pokazhet.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Aykhan Hajizada, responding to a question from local media, called the broadcast a serious provocation and an unacceptable political manipulation.
Hajizada said Azerbaijan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity have been fully restored and are recognized by the international community, including Russia.
Baku said the incident was especially unacceptable because the map appeared on a Russian state media outlet. Hajizada noted that Moscow has repeatedly stated that it respects Azerbaijan’s territorial integrity, while the use of outdated and separatist narratives on state television openly contradicts the spirit of Azerbaijani-Russian relations.
Azerbaijan expects a clear explanation from the Russian side, as well as necessary measures to prevent similar incidents from happening again, the Foreign Ministry said.
For Baku, the issue goes beyond television graphics. After Azerbaijan restored its territorial integrity, any attempt to reintroduce old maps or separatist terminology into public discourse is seen as a political signal, particularly when it appears on a state-controlled Russian broadcaster.
AZE.US